CallBurner records what you say and hear through Skype. In order to get the best sounding recordings, you need to make sure that your underlying Skype call sounds as good as it can be.

To ensure that you record your Skype calls at a consistent volume on both sides of the call (your side, and the other side), follow these steps:

1. Wear a headset instead of using your PC speakers. Wearing a headset (even a cheap one) can make a huge difference. If you need a headset, see our range.

2. Make a few tests calls to one of your Skype contacts. Listen to how the audio sounds during the call and then play back the recorded CallBurner file and listen to the audio levels in the recording. Tip: If you can’t find anyone to do a test call with, try calling “echo123″ – Skype’s Call Testing Service. If the audio is still not sounding consistent on both sides, see the Skype Sound Setup Guide, or contact us for help.

3. Once you have the Skype settings just right for recording, adjust your Windows volume controls for listening comfort (these do not affect the level at which CallBurner records).

4. Once you have Skype setup so you get great sounding calls, you can tweak CallBurner to record your calls at higher or lower quality bit-rates & file formats. We recommend you follow steps 1-3 before trying this step as the best way to get great sounding calls is to make sure the underlying Skype call is as good as it can be. Out of the box, CallBurner is configured to record your Skype calls at a bit-rate & file format which gives lots of clarity without taking up too much disk space.

Skype Voicemail answers phone calls or PC-to-PC calls for you when you are away from your PC, when you are offline, or when you simply don’t want to take a call.

The caller can leave you a message, and you can listen to the message on your PC within the Skype application. You can also have the message sent to your Outlook inbox, in which case you can listen to it from within Outlook.

An additional use of Skype Voicemail is that you are able to send someone a voice message without actually calling them. You right-click your contact in Skype, choose the “Send Voicemail” option, then Skype records your message and sends it to the contact. This is useful if you don’t want to disturb the other person or if you don’t wish to start a conversation with the person at this time.

Skype Voicemail Prerequisites

To use Skype Voicemail:

You need a PC with broadband internet access.

You need Skype installed on the PC (this is a free download and you can see how to install it on our Skype page).

Either you or the other person need a Skype Voicemail subscription or a SkypeIn number. If you want to take messages from normal phones, get a SkypeIn number – Voicemail comes free with that. To see pricing for a SkypeIn number, and to buy if you wish, click here. To see pricing for a Skype Voicemail subscription, and to buy if you wish (not needed if you buy a SkypeIn number) click here.

Setting up Skype Voicemail

Once you have everything as described in the list above, follow these steps to start sending and receiving voicemail messages on your PC:

In Skype, go to Tools > Voicemail… on the main Skype menu.

Make sure the box Send unanswered calls to Skype Voicemail is checked.

Click the Advanced settings link to the right of the “Send unanswered calls to Skype Voicemail” checkbox to tell Skype when you want Voicemail answering to take calls for you.

Click OK in the Advanced Settings window and in the main Options window.

If you wish to have Skype Voicemail sent to your Outlook inbox, click here for further instructions.

Skype Voicemail features

After you have followed the steps above, this is what Skype will now allow you to do:

If you don’t answer a call within the number of seconds specified in the Advanced Settings dialog above, the caller will hear a recorded message and will be able to leave a message for you.

If a call comes in and you click the Hang Up button, the caller will hear a recorded message (same message as above) and will be able to leave a message for you

If your PC is switched off, or if you are not logged into Skype when a caller tries to call you, the caller will hear a recorded message (same message as above) and will be able to leave a message for you

If you make a call to someone else and they are unavailable, you will be able to leave a message for them (even if they haven’t purchased a Skype Voicemail subscription themselves).

If you want to leave someone a message, even if they are available (i.e. you don’t want to talk to them right now but you do want to send them a voice message), you can right-click their contact details in Skype and choose the Send Voicemail option.

If you want to record your own message (rather than use the standard Skype recorded message), you can do so via Tools > Voicemail…. (Click the Record button near the bottom of the window).

Recording Skype video calls

We also make VodBurner which records & edits Skype video calls. When you first install, you get a free 14 day trial to put it through its paces.

Integration with Outlook

Skylook offers you these additional features if you use Outlook 2000/2002/XP/2003/2007. To find out more, click on the links:

Alternatives

Skylook offers an alternative that has some advantages and disadvantages in comparison to Skype Voicemail.

This alternative is an answering machine built into Outlook. Depending on what you want to achieve, you may find that the Skylook Answering Machine is a better fit for you, or you may find that you can make use of both Skype Voicemail and the Skylook Answering Machine. To help you decide, here are the advantages and disadvantages of the Skylook Answering Machine as compared to Skype Voicemail:

Advantages of Skylook Answering Machine compared to Skype Voicemail

You are able to listen to the incoming caller leaving their message.

You are able to pick up the call while the incoming caller is leaving their message.

You are able to take notes about the call while the incoming caller is leaving their message.

Once you have purchased Skylook, there are no ongoing fees associated with the Skylook Answering Machine.

SkypeIn is Skype terminology for being able to take calls from normal phones using Skype.

Obviously for people to be able to call you on Skype using a plain old traditional phone or mobile/cell phone, they need a number to call. So when you sign up for SkypeIn, the people at Skype give you your very own number. When people dial that number from any phone, your Skype application (or Skype phone if you have one) will ring.

(One of the interesting things about this number is that you can ask the people at Skype to give you a number in your own country, or in a number of overseas countries. So, you could be living in London but answering calls made to a Los Angeles number for instance).

The following steps show you how to get a SkypeIn number (or multiple SkypeIn numbers if you want). The steps assume that you already have Skype installed and set up. (If you don’t, click here to see how to do that).

1. A SkypeIn number needs to be purchased. Unfortunately at present this is a separate process to purchasing SkypeOut credit – hopefully the people at Skype will streamline this in the future. In the meantime, it’s basically a separate deal. You can purchase your unique SkypeIn number here.

2. After completing the purchase process, wait to receive a confirmation email from Skype. Once it’s all confirmed, your number will be active and ready to take calls.

Everyone on Skype has a “Skype Name”. This is like an ID. It is a single string of letters and/or digits – e.g. jsmith436, fredflintstone.

If you know the Skype Name of the person you want to call, you can just type it straight into the box at the bottom of the Skype window, then press the green “Call” button to call that person.

If you don’t know the Skype Name of the person you want to call, you will need to search the global Skype network for it. To do this, choose “Contacts > Search for Skype users…” from the main Skype menu. A search window will appear. Enter the full name of the person then click the “Search” button. Keep in mind that there are millions of registered Skype users, so there may be a number of people with the same name as the person you want to contact. If this is the case you will need to narrow your search by entering other criteria, such as Country, State etc. Another option is to enter an email address instead of the name. (All of these additional criteria require that your contact has filled in all the relevant details in their Skype profile).

Once you locate the person, you will probably want to add them as a contact before you call them. To do this, click the contact then click the “Add Selected Contact” button. If you don’t want to add them as a contact, just write down or remember their Skype Name, close the search window, then type the Skype Name straight into the box at the bottom of the Skype window and press the green “Call” button to start a call.

If you added the person as a contact, simply select the contact from the list of Skype contacts in the main Skype window, then press the green “Call” button to call the contact.

PC to Phone

Jargon alert: This is known as “SkypeOut”. To learn how to make calls to normal phones from your PC, click this SkypeOut link.